Empowering local government
Graham Allen, MP for Nottingham North
Chair of the House of Commons Political and Constitutional
Reform Select Committee
Graham was selected in 1985 to contest his home seat of
Nottingham North, narrowly winning it from the Conservatives in
1987. He has been frontbench spokesman on democracy and the
constitution, and served as a government whip after the 1997
election. He is Chair of the House of Commons Political and
Constitutional Reform Select Committee.
Twitter - @GrahamAllenMP
"Were we directed from Washington when to sow and when to reap, we should soon
want for bread." - Thomas Jefferson, 1826. Jefferson’s wisdom is as relevant today as
it was back then. Independence for local government may be regarded as a radical
policy in the UK and the Labour Party, but it is commonplace in most western
democracies. Labour in 2015 can of course be one of its previous incarnations, the
party of over-centralisation and statism, or an unconvincing market oriented
imitation of the Conservatives. Either of these approaches can be overturned by a
new government.
Alternatively, we can represent something new for Britain and be the party of
democracy and plurality, setting out to realise a vision of liberated talent expressing
itself through elected independent political institutions, rich in debate and ideas and
reconciled through a clear constitutional settlement which will leave a lasting legacy
of freedom and creativity. Nowhere is this more opportune and essential than in
freeing the repressed ingenuity in our localities to fight with both ??G2???Bv?F???P?F?VB&V???B?W"&6??F?F?F?B'&?F??????VVG2v?B???7BWfW'??F?W"vW7FW&??FV??7&7??3?6??7F?GWF???????FWV?FV?B??6?v?fW&??V?B?( ?'&?F???VVG2v?B???7BWfW'??F?W"vW7FW&?FV??7&7??3??6??7F?GWF???????FWV?FV?B??6?v?fW&??V?N( ?v^( ?fR6VV?7V66W76gV?FWf??WF??????W"F??'7FW??66?F??B?v?W2?B??'F?W&?&V??B??Vf??rV?v??B2F?R?7B6?V?G'???F?RV??&R?w&?72&V6V?G2g&????6??P?F???#"?2vW&R *3S"&??????v?B?2w&??rv?F?V?v??BF?BvR6?( ?B?fRF?P???6??RF?76?v??V?B??r6V7W&VBf?"66?F??B?Bv?W3?FWf??WF???F?F?P?V?v?6?&Vv???2?6??6??F?VB'?F?R&??"v?fW&??V?B??2FVBf?"vV?W&F?????V?v??B6??V?B????F?W6RF?R??6???F?6?7G'V7GW&W2?B?&VG??2???6R&?V?@?F?R6?V?G'????6?v?fW&??V?B6??V?B&RF?RfV??6?Rf?"FWf??WF?????V?v??B??&Wf??WF????6R??@??3p??